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Radical chic

Fashion icon Bernie Sanders, and his mittens, star at inauguration

Vermont Senator’s practical beige parka and enormous woolen mittens overshadow many of the designer outfits on display and spawn a flood of memes

By TOI staff and Agencies 21 January 2021, 3:52 am Edit
Former presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) sits in the bleachers on Capitol Hill before Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US President on January 20, 2021, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)
Former presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) sits in the bleachers on Capitol Hill before Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US President on January 20, 2021, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

Amid the designer outfits and formal elegance on display at US President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday, an unlikely fashion icon emerged to steal the show and spawn a thousand memes — veteran Senator Bernie Sanders.

Sanders, 79, was one of the scattering of guests, and the socialist from Vermont made an instant impact on social media.

Huddled up on a folding chair, with arms crossed, wearing huge knitted mittens and a beige coat to ward off the wintery conditions, Sanders watched his former rival become president.

Sanders, who arrived carrying a large brown envelope, was compared to a grandfather stopping in at the inauguration on the way to the post office, or perhaps he was off to pick up a doctor’s prescription.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is seen prior to the 59th Presidential Inauguration ceremonies for Joe Biden on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.(Greg Nash/Pool Photo via AP)

His wife Jane O’Meara Sanders embraced the look — tweeting “Vermont jacket, Vermont gloves, Vermont common sense!”

Vogue declared that “nothing looks as good on him as his signature anti-fashion style.”

Fans of the progressive lawmaker kvelled on Twitter over the homemade gloves, which were gifted to him by a schoolteacher in his state of Vermont. As the teacher, Jen Ellis, wrote on Twitter, they are made of wool from repurposed sweaters and lined with fleece made from recycled water bottles.

The look earned him his own inauguration Bobblehead to mark his viral fashion moment. It’s now on pre-sale for $25 at the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s online store.

Brooklyn-born Sanders sparked an avalanche of memes.

Including, a whole bunch of Jewish-themed ones.

Sanders wasn’t the only newly minted Jewish fashion icon.

Ella Emhoff, Jewish daughter of the historic Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, wore a dress designed by the celebrated Jewish fashion designer Batsheva Hay to Wednesday’s ceremony.

Hay, known in the fashion world by her first name, posted on Instagram that Emhoff wore her “burgundy moiré dress” to the festivities.

From left, Cole Emhoff and Ella Emhoff, the stepchildren of Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris arrive for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021 in Washington. (Win McNamee/Pool Photo via AP)

Kamala Harris’ niece Meena wore a similarly styled dress, and the two posed together — but Batsheva pointed out that she didn’t know who had designed Meena’s frock.

Batsheva, whose dresses have been worn by celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, is known for blending Orthodox modesty rules into high fashion.

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